Witchblade: Matriarch
by DarkFetherStorys
Summary: Tokyo is recuvering from the resant uprising. Doji industres are under investigation for all maners of dark delings, the NEO-genes are trying to find purpus in a world that hates them and Riko plus the others are griving for the lost Masane. but a young cupole finds something on the beach that change all the rules.


Raw

This chap is put up raw becaus my prof reader has gone missing for an entiyer year, whit his last comune saying that he was just a little over hafe way done.

So blame Herns for not reporting back to me.

whit that out of the way, enjoy.

* * *

A couple is walking down the Tokyo beach front, looking over the of old Tokyo that now looked like a Venice ruins after the great quack six years ago and that more recently played host to what some had begun to call "The I,C uprising".

 _I-weapons, tank like drones bioengineered from human corpses, created and sold by Doji-industries, and due to a programming error was drawn to the immense power of the artifact from which the technology was derived._

The couple stops and looks out over the ruins in to the rising sun.

 _Clone-blades, bio-metal gauntlets cloned from an artifact so powerful and complex that the clones, though only a quarter of the power, became unstable and caused their welders body and mind to deteriorate to the point that they whir akin to drug addicts, always looking for a greater hi and it's never enough._

The young woman notices something in the water out of the corner of eye. She looks towards it and see a body drifting ashore.

 _And what were they fighting for…_ _ **The Witchblade**_ _, a sentient artifact that existed long before the dawn of man… the template for the clone-blades… originator of bio-metal engineering… a being of god like power…a symbiot of alien origins… a child born of light and darkness… the one to keep_ _ **balance**_ _between chaos and order._

As she realizes what she is seeing she starts to run to words the body whit her boyfriend close after. When they reach the body they see it's a woman in her early twenties whit a well-shaped body, long and well-toned arms and legs, two huge breast, dressed in a pair of blue torn jeans, a white tank top and a torn yellow sweeter and there was purple markings on the soft looking cheeks. The raged rise and fall of her chest telling them she was still alive.

"Call an ambulance." The woman shouts as she gets down on her knees and starts first aid, glad she tock the class after the great quack.

As the man starts to dial, she notice the woman's right hand, clad in a clawed iron gauntlet, whit a great ruby eye on the back of the hand, it seemed to have… grown into the arm.

Ch.1 A New Dawn [Cue witchblade anime intro]

Reiji Takejama was not having a good day, not good at all.

He is a man in his mid-thirties, 1,86m long, jet black heir, well-built body in a black business suit whit a face chiseled out of rock in a permanent scowl and a scar over his left eye. Those who had seen any other expression whir few and far in between. The only two who could change it at will was his recently rediscovered dotter Rico (but who discovered who, could be a subject to discuss years latter) and her adoptive mother, Masane Amaha, one of those lost in the resent fighting.

The reason for this bad day? He was back at work after resigning from his post as director of the weapons division, but now reinstated as the head of the board of directors, clarification: HE is the board of directors, all the others whir suspended for investigation after it was made clear that Wado made allot of "shady deals" that made the rest of the boards integrity come in to question and only Takejama seemed to be honest (a rough less businessman, but an honest, rough less businessman).

Bio-division was understandable out of the cunt whit an impending full investigation. Thankfully the chef researcher had ordered the move and removal of all fills and data regarding the ultima-blade from their computers and archives (no point in adding to the problems whit what could have been). The gauntlets and the crystallized remains of Wado's former assistant were locked away in weapons-divisions vaults.

The weapons-division was also out for the count, the engineers raising across the globe to fix the error in the weapons used in different conflicts so there won't be an encore of the I,C insurgence. They also made an early maintenance of the machines.

The other divisions where more of an irritation then a real problem. It was rather a case of stream lining the red tape so only the important paperwork got to his desk and leave micromanagement to already established under heads.

No, the real problem was the NSWF. The creators of the clone-blades and their wilders, the NEO-genes.

The Neo-genes, women created through genetic engineering and inbreeding are at the moment considered the catalyst for the insurgence but through no fault of their own, but rather the rigors training and education cussed one of the younger generation to snap and forced the confrontation between the NEO-genes and the Witchblade and the ensuing battle cussed the error in the I-weapons to react.

That's the official reason; unofficially it's a bit more complicated as the real reason for Maria going off was a combination of aforementioned reasons and the practical abandonment by the one she thought would accept her no matter what, her mother. You see the NEO-genes are created in test tubes and grown in med-tanks until they are around "one year" old, then they are pleased in a nursery whit others of their generation and starts their training, and through it all they are gene treated to become; stronger, faster, smatter etc. but that's not the biggest part… they are also given growth hormones making them grow almost three times as quick as a normal childe. Most of the time they are not told who's genetic material was used to create them as it is deemed unnecessary. Now imagine you're a "four year" old in a "twelve year" old body, the knowledge of a college student finishing his/her masters, constantly scolded for lacking control in spares whit your "sisters", that you have the potential to be beater then all of them and no one to talk to. Yea, you'd be a basket case to.

And two weeks ago Takejama got a compound full of them.

The week after the battle had been chaos, gathering up leftover I-weapons, count the civilians, stop the NEO-genes from going out enemas to collect the clone-blades and the crystallized remains of Maria and her assistants (and possibly the Witchblade). The only thing stopping was that the chain of command was in shambles whit Marias death as she had taken control trough force of demand as she killed Tatsuoki "Father" Furumizu and hadn't be in command long enough for an obvious successor, the NSWF broke down in to several camps whit different ideologies for the NEO-genes. The only reason they weren't placed under military quarantine was that the government had sniffed out that Takejama had ones had a relationship whit a NEO-gene and even had an dotter whit her, and more recently before the battle was in an intimate relationship whit the Witchblade wilder. They had asked that he personally take control of the NEO-genes until the situation stabilized.

Those he was now technically in charge of them, but in practicality they are running things them self. Being the only **man** after "Father" to have sufficient respect, he had said that he would not get involved in their internal politics but he had imposed that they stop the use of growth hormones, the department heads would act as a council and that he get a biweekly report to present to the government.

And those his bad day, in front of him was the first report and it wasn't looking good, the NEO-genes fragmented to the point of politic civil war and the council had reformed to reflect this and only reason they weren't at war this moment was that none of them has the power to succeed in a coup.

At the most basic level there was two groups; those that are loyal to "Father" and those that want to move on from his ideals, in this the latter is wining and fast. At the higher levels are where the conflicts are at, there are;

1\. The isolationists, who wants to cut interaction whit the world to a bare minimum as it will never trust them.

2\. The expansionists, who want to expand their influence to all across the world.

3\. The Nishidians, wanting to continue Rie Nishida's work on the NEO-genes to become the ultimate beings.

4\. The Nationalists, who want to use the money and influence of the NSWF to form their own country (an idée most will agree to have toyed whit).

These are the four groups in power, but there is a fifth group of note;

The Witchblade royalists, that see the Witchblade as a patron deity as they and the clone-blades are based on and around "it", and only the wilder or her chosen successor should lead them. At the moment this would be Rihoco "Rico" Amaha as she is the adoptive dotter of the last wilder Masane, she is the eldest dotter of Reina Soho the strongest NEO-gene on record and it was discovered that after Rico's birth that Reina's compatibility whit the Witchblade dropped, meaning it was Rico who was the compatible one, further proving her right to rule. This last item has led to the discussion whiter it should be compatibility or blood line succession, this is not a priority discussion as Rico fulfills both, what has this group divided is whiter to let her father Reiji (the government appointed regent) handle her raising and education, or take custody and raise her among her cousins (as "Father's" DNA wasn't used like the other NEO-genes they are not her "sisters").

This is occurs what has Reiji worried, not that he would lose his dotter Masane left her in is care and he would not betray her like that. No what had him worried is what could be in the future if someone that would use the Witchblade and the NEO-genes as weapons to conquer the world (a very real and in the long run plausible reality) was put on the throne.

His thoughts were interrupted when the phone begun to ring and Segawa went to answer.

When he checked the number, a quick look of surprise came over him but he went professional.

"Takejamas office." He answered in a crisp voice.

A voice could be heard from the other side as Reiji went back to the report but he continued to listen in.

"Yes it can be confusing in the beginning." Came Segawas voice encouraging.

"So, what did you call for? It isn't common for people to have one of our transivers… Oh. How does she look?...Your shore? 'Hope?' … I see, a mild coma… NO, don't! What you described suggest partial transformation and that can be a sign of her gone berserk. We'll send personal to move and take care of her." Mean will, Takeyama stretches for his on cell phone. He needs to call Hitomi and tell her one of her "sisters" has washed up in Tokyo general hospital.

"No, not just any wielder, **THE** wielder." Reiji froze just as he was about to push the dial button.

In the silence that followed Reiji could have sworn that he heard the one at the other side of Sagawa's phone murmured "Witchblade". He hit the button.

If Reiji was having a bad day Hitomi was having a worse.

She is one of the few NEO-genes who looked her age of 26, she's 1,62m whit dirty blond heir to her midriff of her well-defined body (the gene enhancements making it easy to keep in shape) and larger than average breasts (general human population, NEO-gene small side), clade in a midnight blue knee long dress whit a black business suite over.

She was appointed head of the council that Takejama formed as she was the last assistant of "Father" and was one of the few who was absolute neutral in the political arena and mostly tried to find compromises between the different factions.

Earlier that day she had sent the first biweekly reports to Takejama whit a political status (stably unstable), general moral (bad), physical and mental health of the second gen NEO-genes (after Reina's report on herself and her former assistant was found in her apartment and the report on the Witchblade wilder's, mental and physical degeneration, it was dam important) and a list of things that needed his consent and things they started without his consent, as the official head/owner of NSWF and the NEO-gens (they whir considered autonomous weapons and needed an owner)there whir things they couldn't do without his signature and some they did any way.

Hitomi was really disturbed by that they were considered weapons if they had a clone-blade equipped. This was another reason for her being head of the council as she is a first gen NEO-gene and didn't have a clone-blade, it was understandable.

As a first gen she was only genetically enhanced without the growth hormones and was considered one of five mentally stable people in the building at the moment (all first gen) and right now all younglings whir looking to them for guidance(moral was bad? More like abysmal). The truth of what "Father" really wanted was not exactly what he said and that they all where tolls to be used and discarded tock hard on everyone hard and many was rethinking their life and goals and was looking to the first gen's as guiding the young was the job of parents and elders, right.

Thinking of that she herself was a "mother" and "grandmother". She had been surprised at the last part. She had not been aware of the third generation until she became "fathers" assistant and even then she was far from privy to all he did or had done. Thinking of this also made her sad has both her dotter and grand dotter died in the resent fighting. Her dotter Nora died trying to retrieve Rico from Masane when they went in to hiding after social serves tried to separate them and put Rihoco whit her biological mother Reina, she was also "Fathers" assistant and that's just sad, a dotter should inherit her mother not the other way around. Aoi her grand dotter died following Maria in her hunt for the Witchblade, at least Masane killed her quickly.

Great now she was thuroly depressed.

But it did bring up a problem she didn't mention in her report; most of NEO-genes want to know who their mothers and dotters whir, as whit "Fathers" death they don't know who to look to for approval (isn't that all children want, the approval of their parents).

She didn't know what to do, she had sent out a recall to all first gen, but they were spread across the country and whir facing problems of all kinds, from racism to death threats, and couldn't get here. And in the end they all looked to her to lead them, yes Mr. Takejama was the one in charge but incredibly, good as all NEO-genes whir sexists and view men as lower beings unless they whir "Father" long before his death and after the truth got out it got worse. Takejama was respected but he was a man.

So in the end they still looked to her as the head of the council.

"I'm an administrator, not a leader." She said out loud and slumped in her office chair.

"Why did you have to go and die Masane?" and as if to answer her, the phone rang.

'If it's God, Witchblade, Masane or other whys, I hope she got good answers.' She thought ruefully as she picked up the phone.

"Hit…"

" _It's Takejama. I need two royalists and your best doctor to meet me at Tokyo general hospital in thirty minutes. Masane has been found and is in a coma and partially transformed."_

They found Masane? In the hospital? Coma? PARTIALLY TRANSFORMED!?

"I'll send them imiatly." She confirmed and disconnected.

The Witchblade wilder was found and is partially transformed, if she woke up and is berserked it would be a disaster and this time no one could stop her.

Hitomi know exactly who to send:

The guards would have to be loyal to the Witchblade yet prepared to kill her if she is indeed berserked.

The Thochi twin's would be perfect for this; their team work is flawless and should give the Witchblade a run for her money until backup could arrive.

The doctor would be Rie Nishida's number one student Shisuki, who after Nishida herself is their greatest expert on NEO-gene and clone-blade physiology and the Witchblade isn't that different just however many times beater then clone-blades.

She quickly paged the twin's and Shisuki and a few minutes later the twins came in through the door and Shisuki buzzed the inter-com, and Hitomi opened the line.

"All right, the Witchblade has been found and is in Tokyo general hospital." The three gasped. "She is in a coma, but worse she is partially transformed…" "That's not good. Whit the healing factor of the Witchblade there is no telling when she'll wake up or what mind set she'll be in." interrupted Shisuki. "We know." Shouted Hitomi. "That's why the regent called us. Thochi (she used their common name when speaking to both at the same time) Takejama most likely told them to expect guards, so get there. Transform and go by roof if you have to I don't care, GET THERE." They both straighten up bowed and quickly went on their way. "Shisuki whit Nishida gone you're the greatest medical expert. Masane might not be a NEO-gene but she got the Witchblade and I want you to oversee her health." "Occurs, I'll tell our staff to make a room ready for when we can move her and I'll be on my way." Shisuki said and disconnected.

Hitomi smiled. No she was no leader; she was an admin, making shore to get the right people to the right job. Now how to tell the council?

Yusuke Tozawa had been through hell. Well actually everyone at Mary's been through hell the past three weeks, but Yusuke tock the brunt of it.

The first week was absolute chaos, dealing whit the aftermath of the battle, Wado's arrestment, rounding up the NEO-genes in the NSWF's compounds, trying to make shore Masane is not seen as a monster and keep Rico out of the media's attention.

It was tough, but when Reiji got control of the NSWF and the NEO-genes the second week and started to riles data and the known history of the Witchblade and how the clone-blades and NEO-genes whir made it eased up as people started to try and make sense of it all.

But whit that understanding came new questions and reporters started to flock to Mary's searching for answers. Do they never got close to the one they really wanted to talk to (Rico) the rest of the residents answered many of their questions. As most of them didn't know about the Witchblade until just before the big show down, they weren't able to answer all, but could describe her as a person and a mother.

When Reiji heard of this he arranged a press conference in an effort to ease up on Mary's.

This got the reporters excited as now they and the public would get answers as two NEO-genes would be there along whit Takejama and Tozawa. And answers they got, all from Witchblade history to NEO-gene upbringing, but they still wondered. Where was Rihoco Amaha? To this they got the answer that only one reporter would get a chance for an interview, but only if Rihoco herself agreed to it.

It was already decided who would get the interview if Rico felt up to it. And Kyoko Sasaki was exited right up until she relies just who she was interviewing and who the Witchblade wielder was. She somehow managed to keep it professional the entire time, but was not as tactless as some others might have been in this situation.

Tozawa sighed and lifted the article to his face as he lied on his sofa. It had made its own side issue that hade went whit almost every morning paper. It had surprised him just how far Kyoko had dug in to the mystery that was Masane Amaha "The Witchblade".

But it was the start that got to him every time:

" _Report regarding the young woman and baby fund at the null point._

 _The baby is in fine health and has suffered no permanent harm from the castrofy and is expected to grow up to a beautiful little girl whit no complications._

 _The women found holding the baby and stark naked don't seem to have suffered any physical damage but has suffered mental trauma. She has no recollection of whom she is or where she is from or if she has any family. She herself says that she can't even remember giving birth to the baby found in her arms. If such an physically traumatizing and important event can be completely lost from her memory it is very little to no chance of full recovery of her memory beyond fragments and vague feelings. The only clue to her identity is a paternity dairy found next to her at the null point._

 _Whit no physical need and family coming forth to claim them it is whit a heavy heart I have ordered new identities and social numbers to be made under the names found in the dairy and send them to one of the welfare centers._

 _I wish Masane and Rihoco Amaha calm winds and smode sailing in their new life."_

 _Captain_ Tōshirō Hitsugaya _, chef of Tokyo quack recovery._

Captain Hitsugaya was an old sea dog in charge of the small navy contingent in Tokyo at the time. He took command and organized rescue whit in an hour of the quack and was made officially in charge of the recovery the day after. But it would seem the Captains well wishes weren't enough.

The article continues whit different social serves reports, personal accounts and Rico's point of view of what happened those six years. And it continued on in to the months after their return to Tokyo and how Masanes efforts to secure a home for them had turned her in to a secret heroine wordy her own comic book. It also told of the truth of Ricos origins and of Masanes original identity 'Yasuka Ohara' and how she had not even a ghost of a memory from her time at the orphanage.

And how it all came to an end.

Tozawa was honestly impressed whit how Kyoko managed to keep a neutral tone to the whole article and let people form their own opinion.

He stretched and rose to his not so impressive height of 1,66m. He got brown unkempt hear whit side burns and stubble going down his angular cheekbone to a small goatee. He whers a light blue and beige golf shirt and a pair of well-worn jeans.

He popped one of his ever present gums in his mouth (Sais they help him think) he starts to ponder on what has happened.

' _Three weeks, it's been one hell of a ride and whit this article, things may finely start to calm down.'_

' _Wonder how Rico will be resaved in school in a few months?'_

Further thoughts whir interrupted by his phone ringing.

"It's Tozawa." He answered.

" _Segawa hear. Get Rico ready and wait outside I'm on my way to pick you up."_ Came Segawas voice.

"Whow, Segawa calm down. Where's the fire?"

" _They've found Masane. She is in a coma at Tokyo general. Problem is… she is partially transformed."_

Tozawa was shocked. They had found Masane. But if she's berserked why would they want Rico.

"Dude, are you shore? If she is berserked there is no knowing her anymore."

" _I know. But think about it. Masane would never do anything that would harm Rihoco."_

That was true. And if they had to do something drastic Rihoco had a right to be there.

"Ok, I'll get her ready. You better know what you're doing." Tozawa said and hung up and went for his shoes.

So much for things calming down.

Dr. Etzio Murahara was having a very strange day.

It had started normal enough whit riding hit morning paper and the extra issue about Masane "The Witcheblade" Amaha, it was a sad story but one many could draw inspiration from. If only all parents could be that devoted to their children.

He had then proceeded to his work at Tokyo general hospital. He had pulled E.R duty the week before, and was happy to have the day shift.

The strangeness had begun when an ambulance called in whit a drowner that had washed ashore and was still alive. That had woke everyone up this was going to be a hard one to save as the salinity in the bay would wreak havoc whit the lungs and you couldn't just pump fluids in to the body and all would be fine.

That's when they also call in about an organic metal gauntlet that seems to have grown in to her right arm whit a great jewel on the back of the hand.

And things got worse. A NEO-gene whit one of those clone-blades. That makes saving her easier but it makes it more complicated as they don't like being treated by anyone but their own.

This was understandable as even just three weeks after the insurgence there was a lot of pregedis and they whir secretive by nature as they had kept what they whir secret for years. (One can only speculate what other plans Furumasa hade for his "dotters")

Many froze at mention of the clone-blade.

"Come on people, we don't have all day they'll be here in a few minutes." Etzio called out.

That unfroze them and continued where they left off. Do some slowed down to a leisured pace.

"Oy, get to it. I want the op-room prepped and ready when they get here." he called again.

"Come on. It's not like she actually needs help. The enhancements and the blade will heal her before she arrives." A young intern said.

"Yea, besides aren't they considered weapons if they got a blade. Are we really supposed to fix that?" Another one said. This earned him a slap to the back of his head from the first one and a piercing glare from Etzio.

"We all toke the othe to help anyone who come through those doors no matter who they are, where they come from or their past." Here the first one nodded. "And the fact that she almost drowned should tell you just how human she is." Here the boy had the disensy to look ashamed.

'Good now they both will always perform correctly in the future.' Etzio thought.

He smiled wryly. He remembered getting a similar lesson after the great quake.

When the ambulance arrived whit the girl, the two interns whir the first to do take over from the ambulance personal. Etzio hung back, observing and evaluating the two as they worked. They whir a bit young for their first E.R patient but there was no immediate risk as the blades healing factor would do most of the work. But anything can happen.

Etzio observed as he guided one trough the procedure to clear the rest of the water and salt from the lungs (Who ever had done the first aide had done a good job getting the water out) as the other one used an ultrasound to check for internal damage.

He also took in the woman herself:

'She's in her early twenty's; range 19-23, 1,58m long, hour glass figure, well trained and defined muscles, E-cup breast(she most have a hell of a time finding bras her size), blood red heir going down to her mid riff, no knowledge on her eyes as every time someone tries to look they clamp chute, going down her cheeks from etch eye is a purple ribbon (almost like she cries purple tears), at first glance they are mistaken for tattoos but at a closer inspection it is actual pigmentation (most be the clone-blades doing, hm, perhaps the hair to), (speaking of the blade) on her right arm sits the gauntlet.'

It is iron grey in color, three bands an inch wide goes from the wrist up almost all the way to the elbow then bends back again to form three wary pointed leaf's, the wrist itself is circled whit a similar band but situated low enough to allow full wrist movement, on every finger is what looks like gothic finger ornaments that gives you small metallic claws but these was most likely far more effective and the rings that make it follow the fingers movement was now under the skin making it a permanently attached, actually the whole gauntlet was like that, like it had grown roots in to the skin, the palm was relatively clean whit the exaption of a small metal plate in the middle where the small bands that secured the gauntlet to the hand itself connected together, and on the back of the hand is a perfectly round ruby big as the whole hand encircled by two raised bands of the same grey metal making it look like an eye, a fact that is further in forced by the darker band running through the ruby like the slit pupil of a cat.

As Etzio looked at the "eye" he got the feeling that it was, alive, not watching, but it was not there for looks, but rather something more. He also got the feeling that he had seen it before, that he had seen this woman before, but something was off and he just couldn't put his finger on it.

Suddenly a fancy took him.

'They say the blades are made out of bio-metal, a living metal, and they treat the Witchblade especially as if it was a living in the form of a gauntlet. So shouldn't that apply to the clone-blades as well?' He thought as he called for the heart monitor and applied the sensors to the gauntlet just below the eye.

He dint expect a response, but that's what he got.

Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at the monitor. The frequency was a bit too fast but that could be stress in its efforts to heal it's wielder for all they know. No what got everyone creped out was the amplitude which was clearly not human. One of the interns put his hand to the woman's heart and concentrated on the monitor and heart.

"Inconclusive." Was all he said.

"All right people, back to work! I want her lungs cleaned, a full examination and an extra heart monitor for her own heart when you're done." Etzio ordered as one of the nurses came up too him whit a black handheld of some sort.

"This was found in her pocket, it looks like a cell-phone of some kind but we can't figure out how it works" she said.

"Thanks Sakura. You can return to your duties." He said and she nodded and went back to her duties.

He took a closer look at the device, it was jet black and shaped like a yang symbol whit an oversized eye acting as the screen whit two white buttons benise and five ridges along the spine of the grip were the finger would fit easily. It was surprisingly light for its bulk; he guessed that it would be wary durable as it is made to be handled by blade wielders. He put it aside; right now they needed to stablelys the woman and get a full checkup.

-Two hours later-

"So gentlemen, what's the diagnosis?" Etzio asked the two interns. He had followed along whit their checkup and had his own diagnose but that was he wanted their opinion on this.

"Lungs are dried out do to osmosis; she is given fluids and breathing aide." The first one started.

"After a full body checkup she was found to have multiple lacerations, stab wounds and turn muscles trough out her entire body." Continued the second, as they alternated between them.

"After a blood test an unknown compound was found in her system. An analysis is under way, at the moment it is believed to be bio-metal and the reason for the blades healing factor."

"Speaking of, whit the salt removed and introduction of fluids, the blades… heartbeat slowed down and the patient's own heart followed suit and has stableliesed whit the blades beating a tenth of a second before the patient's own."

"What has us puzzled is this." He puts up an x-ray on a big screen.

"As you can see here marked in red are strands coming from the blade and reaching trough out her body, clustering around internal organs, the whole spinal column and different points in the limbs."

"We believe that this is a multipurpose system to that's acts as a secondary nerve-system, lymph-system, bio-metal production for the armor and healing, nutrition siphoning for the blade itself and other various performance enhancing properties."

"Throughout the whole prosiger there was no reaction to any form of pain and there are no elevated numbers of adrenalin in her system, so a CAT-scan was preformed and showed that the entire nerve-system is scrambled. She has no sensory input of any kind and after checking her brain weaves it was discovered that she is in a mild coma and could wakeup at any moment but she herself might not notice it." They finished and looked at Etzio.

"What's the dia-gno-sis?" he spelled out.

At first they looked confused, then came a double face palm as they had begun to answer but wired off course.

"Drowners lung, major lacerations and stab wounds, torn muscles and a state of mild coma." The first one answered.

'O to be young again.' Etzio thought and chuckled. It's a rather unique case and patient, of course they get excited.

"Any theories as to why she is in coma?" He asked.

"Well as said her nerve system is scrambled, but she lacks input, not output. The only sensory input she seems to have is site and hearing but we are not certain. The second theory is that the clone-blade who put her in a coma to reduce pain and to keep her from hurting herself." The second states.

Etzio nods and straitens up.

"Well gentleman. I concur whit you diagnosis and before I make some very interesting calls, a quick evaluation is in order." He sais and looks both in the eyes as they straitens up.

"Besides a rocky start, you both did very well; in normal situations you would not have come close to the patient as you are inexperienced and not ready for E.R patients, but this was a special case so I could let you get a chance to redeem yourselves.

"Gregory House; you took care of cleaning out the salt from the patients lungs, you did a good and thurow job, you weir a bit hard on whit the pressure, had it been a normal patient you risked coursing serious and permanent damage, even life threatening.

"…, you did a nice job fixing all the minor wounds, stitching needs a bit of work some of them could open up again on a slower healing patient and cause unnecessary pain.

"All in all, you did a good job under the sacrum stances and both good and bad will go in your report cards." He finished as both swelled whit pride, but not over due so, and he smiled. He had great hopes for this two.

"Now let's see if we can figure out how this phone works and see who answers." And they started to fiddle whit it.

It took them thirty minutes to figure out how to activate and use the transiver.

As Etzio scrolled trough the numbers he looked at the woman. Something had been gnawing at him ever sense he first looked at her. She seemed familiar but he couldn't put his finger on it. He stopped when he came to a very interesting number.

"Strait line to Takeyama? This girl got to be hi up for such a thing." He stated as he pushed the call button.

It rung for a moment, then a crisp young voice answered:

" _Takeyamas office."_

"Ah, good, I almost thought I'd push the wrong button."

" _Yes it can be confusing in the beginning."_ Came an encouragement.

" _So, what did you call for? It isn't common for people to have one of our transivers."_

"I am Dr. Etzio Murahara at Tokyo general hospital. One of the 'sisters' came in after almost drowning and she looks like she's been in a fight."

" _Oh. How does she look?"_

"Don't know every girl by name, eh. She got blood red heir, purple markings on her checks and her blade is on her right hand" he answered as the intern's milled about writing down data so they could see how fast she healed and to use as a reference point for other NEO-genes.

" _Your shore?"_

"Yes, she is in a mild coma but nothing dangerous."

" _I see, a mild coma."_ 'He must be including someone else in the conversation.' Etzio concluded.

"In did, we are considering giving her some stimulants to wake her…"

" _NO, don't!"_ Everyone in the room froze at the outburst do to Etzio accidently hitting the speaker mode button.

" _What you described suggest partial transformation and that can be a sign of her gone berserk. We'll send personal to move and take care of her."_ Everyone looked at the woman as they took a sub-consies step away from her, as Etzio spoke:

"Are you saying I have a berserked wielder in a building full of sick and injured people. Give me one GOOD reason I shouldn't jusenais her now." Whit a clear edge to his voice.

" _No, not just any wielder,_ _ **THE**_ _wielder."_ Came the answer from the transiver.

They all stared. That's what had been nagging in the back of Etzio's mind, that's why she looked so familiar, he had just read about her this morning, Masane Amaha the…

"Witchblade" a nurse said in awe.

Riohoco had been depressed for the last three weeks. Her mom had sacrificed herself to save all of Tokyo. She tried to keep up a happy appearance but it was hard, she knew Masane wouldn't want to see her sad. Everyone at Mary's had helped as good as they could, surprisingly (or perhaps not) old Joe had helped a lot, but what had helped the most was the interview by Kyoko, it was nice to talk out about all they and gone trough and it made shore no one saw her mom as a monster. And a few minutes ago Mr. Tozowa had told her to get dressed and ready to go to the hospital. At first he didn't want to tell her why they whir going, but once Mr. Segawa and Mr. Takeyama picked them up in his car he told her.

"Rico, the reason we are going to the hospital is that they might have found Masane."

Ricos eyes widened. 'Mom… they found MOM… then maybe…'

"I hate to say this, but don't get your hope up. From the description it seems like Masane, but she is in a coma and we don't know if she will ever wake up." Came Segawas voice from the driver's seat.

She deflated at that. Then she asked:

"What's a coma?"

"It's a very deep sleep that you might never wake up from." Said Reniji whit and looked at Rico.

Rico got the feeling that this was not what mom had meant when she took her to the park and talked. 'Here but unseen.' She thought, no that defiantly didn't sound like this "coma" thing.

The rest of the journey was done in silence. The grownups trying to figure out a way to cheer up Riohoco wile Riohoco contemplating what she would do if it turned out to be her mother.

 _She opened her eyes. She could feel_ _ **her**_ _._

When they arrived hurried in and to the reception desk and asked for Dr. Etzio Murahara and whir directed to the norse wing, fifth floor.

 _She tried to move but got stuck. She looked down and saw that she was buckled down._

As they exit the elevator they were greeted by a doctor of medeterain dissent.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Etzio Murahara. I'm miss Amahas doctor."

"Hello, I'm Takeyama this is my assistant Segawa and Mr. Tozawa." Reniji introduced himself and the two other men.

"and this is Riohoco Amaha." He finally said.

"Hi, do you really have my mom here?" she asked whit hope in her eyes.

Etzio looked down at Rico whit a genteal smile.

"Yes, we believe so. But she is in a very deep sleep and might not wakeup if you go visit her." He said.

"Ok, where is she?" she asked whit longing in her eyes. She just had to see for herself if it really was her mom they found.

"Down that hall, room N516, on the right side, two NEO-gene sisters is guarding it, so you can't miss it." He said whit a smile and she scurried down the hall whit Tozawa following at a more sedate pace.

 _She easily tore herself lose and removed the straps and electrodes on her body. Now she stood before the window opposite the door and pondered what to tell_ _ **her**_ _._

An alarm suddenly started to go off at the nurses desk.

"N5-16 code blue!" shouts the nurse.

Etzio started to run. 'Her. Code blue. How that possible… unless!' his eyes widend and he piked up the pace whit Reniji and Segawa not far behind.

As Rico reached the opposite end of the wing she saw the sisters. As slowed down to stand before them they made a slight bow and a "Princess Riohoco". Weird only mom called her that and she wasn't so formal at any right.

"Is it really her?" she asked whit out hesitation.

"Yes." Answered one. "But she isn't awake." said the other.

"I know." Was all Rico said as she opened the door and stepped in as she heard someone come running down the hall.

Two steps in, she faltered. This cot the attention of the sisters and they turned to look in and was shocked.

There in front of the window stood Masane looking out at the city. 'How we should have sensed her waking up.' The sisters thought as one and got in to a ready stance while the men stopped just behind them.

Rico stared as she took another step towards the red head.

"M…Mom." she stuttered.

The woman seemed to deflate but not a muscle had moved.

" **I'm sorry Rico…"** came a deep, full feminine voice, as she started to turn.

"… **momy's not here."** she came to a full turn and all could see her eyes.

Gone was the misschuvas and worm chocklet brown eyes.

Instead there was hard alien eyes; black scarlea, purple iris and + slited pupils.

" **Left is only…"** she said as went down to Rico's eye level and put her gauntleted hand over her right eye so the ruby eye was visible.

"… **THE WITCHBLADE."**

X-con: Series: Golem

Humanoid, 2,5m tall cylindrical body, a domed head half the body's diameter whit only two red eyes visible, cvericall hands whit five knuckle protrusions, short legs relative to the body, moves around using its arms and leg making it surprisingly agile, melee fighter, heavy armor, resistant to most armor piercing rounds, color scem adapted to service area. Human form: bald, muscle bound man in his thirties.

X-con:


End file.
